Wednesday, May 26, 2010

DEVELOPING STORY: Ex-Coach Awarded $1.2M In Tubby Smith Case

A man Tubby Smith once considered hiring as an assistant coach has won a lawsuit against Smith and the University of Minnesota after he claimed he was offered a job but ultimately was never hired.

Jimmy Williams has been awarded ((officially)) $1,247,293 by a Hennepin County ((MN)) judge. Williams was suing Smith and the University of Minnesota after he said Smith offered him a $200,000 a year job as an assistant coach and then, under pressure from the University's athletic director, changed his mind.

The judge determined that Smith did not use "reasonable care" when offering Williams the job and that he was relying on the representation of Smith as a head coach.

Smith testified on Monday ((video below)) that said the job offer was never final and that Athletic Director Joel Maturi vetoed Williams because Williams had been guilty of NCAA infractions 30 years earlier when he worked at the University. Williams was actually guilty on two separate occasions...

Williams maintains Smith offered the job and that's why he quit his job at Oklahoma State.

The judge did said Williams was "harmed by the actions of the University of Minnesota and Smith."